I started on 2.5 zepbound, is been just over 48 hours but for the past two days I had a very uncomfortable swelling/soreness on the muscles on the left side of my neck and shoulder, I think it might just be muscle pain that happened randomly with the introduction of this medicine but I just do not see this as a common side effect and lasting so long plus barely sleeping is a big no for me.
But the medication does say to contact the doctor if any swelling happens around the neck because of risk of thyroid tumors, so i did tell my doctor and now Im waiting to go get an ultrasound for it in the next few days and see what happens
To note, not me or any family has ever had thyroid problems, also I do not see physical signs, is all internal discomfort on the left side of the neck. Discomfort is also going down but if everytime I have to deal with this the first 48 hours of every week then Im getting off of zepbound, is just that much uncomfortable
Anybody experienced anything similar to this?

I (22F) have had waves of on and off intense pain for the past four years. I was never able to link it to anything, it never seemed to be connected to what I ate or what I did. However, over the past two weeks I’ve been getting the exact same pain almost immediately after I take a few bites of any food, and there is constant pain in the right upper quadrant of my stomach.
So today I finally bit the bullet and made an appointment with my gp. I was scared of being told that I’m too young to be having issues, or that I just need to eat better and exercise more, but she told me that she suspects cholecystitis and sent me to get blood work and an ultrasound done.
I have been looking up what cholecystitis is and what the symptoms could be, and a whole host of issues I have been dealing with for years make so much sense when framing it as gallbladder issues.
I also dug up some old medical records because I vaguely remembered being told I had tiny gallstones show up in an ultrasound but that they weren’t anything to worry about. Sure enough, gallstones were found on an ultrasound for separate liver issues in 2021.
I’m almost praying they find gallstones again during my ultrasound tomorrow because then I will finally have an answer as to what has been causing this terrible pain. I don’t know if removal would be an option if they do find gallstones, but I will do almost anything to be rid of the pain.
Just needed to vent, thanks to anyone who read this :)

Howdy,
As the title says, my pork butt came out super dry after resting overnight in the oven. I decided to presmoke the meat the day before to serve at noon.
Here's what I did:
Seasoned and smoked about 10lbs of pork shoulders in my pellet grill @ 250f , spritzing every 45 minutes with apple juice and water solution for the first 3-4 hours.
Once I was happy with the bark and the rendered fat, it was about 186f internal. I placed the meat in an aluminum pan with more seasoning, apple juice, and some butter and foil wrapped tightly until my meater+ read 203. I can't remember how long that took, thinking 1-2 hours at the most.
Cracked open the foil lid to let the steam out for 5-8 minutes or so, feeling happy with the end result (bark and tenderness check using a probe). I set my oven to 170f and let it rest there until it was time to shred and eat.
Fast forward 12 hours resting in the oven at 170f (10pm - 10am), the tray was still nice and toasty, put it in an insulated cooler and I drove an hour to the party. The meat smelled amazing, shred really easily with my gloved hands but I noticed that the meat was extremely dry. Even when I incorporated the left over juice on the bottom of the pan.
I've also had a similar experience with two briskets that I prepared the night before for a lunch event. I'm seeing a lot of people here talking positively about resting overnight in the oven, but I can't seem to get it right.
I've had way better experience with waking up early and doing hot-and-fast to meet the lunch deadline and that method hasn't failed me so far.
Please educate me what I'm doing wrong here and share your experience.
Thanks!

I’m undergoing a med board currently due to a surgery that didn’t go well. I’ve been “technically” cleared by my surgeon his words were “no restrictions at this time” however I complained about the pain more and since I’ve been on LIMDU to much they started the boarding process. That being said I figured why not try and weight lift again to maybe strengthen those muscles which actually kind of helped and has been for the last few months with some manageable pain. However my command only knows as much as I tell them and that is I am undergoing a PEB do to my injury which means I can’t perform my normal duties. Now to my point I was in the gym a few days ago and saw my chief right after I was squatting. I genuinely wanna know is there anything my command can do to me? Like I have less than a few months left and my board is definitely gonna extend my past my original contract. I just wanna know if I can continue lifting because it’s certainly helped my injury since the surgery.

The next couple of hours were a blur. Percy knelt by Annabeth, holding her head close. The two of them sat in silence until Lily opened the door with a loud CREEAAK. “Hey.” She murmured. Her face was pale and sweaty, and she looked completely drained of energy. “Hey. You okay?” Annabeth said, taking Lily’s hand. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Lily joked softly. “But yeah, I’m fine. Healing takes a lot of energy, and there are so many wounded. And… I feel so guilty that I couldn’t save Silena. I should’ve helped…” Lily broke off, running her hands through her hair. Annabeth pulled Lily so close Percy could see the green reflected in Annabeth‘s eyes. ”you listen here, Lily Jackson. Silena was a hero, and she knew she had to go down in this war-with the side she betrayed killing her. Silena wouldn’t have cheated death, Lily. She wasn’t that kind of person. You’ve already saved so many lives today-Ethan Nakamura, and all the other turned demigods. You’re a noble person, Lily. You did the right thing.” Annabeth pulled Lily into a tight hug. The sweet moment was forgotten hours later as Lily, Annabeth, Grover and Percy raced through Olympus, chasing Kronos to the throne room. “Stand down, Kronos! You’ll never leave Olympus alive! My father shall have your soul!” Lily yelled, her dagger in sword form. “Foolish girl! You should have accepted my offer while you had the chance.” Kronos growled, standing next to Zeus’s throne, flanked by two of his men. “But my plan has come to fall into place. Your body is better preserved than Luke Castellan’s. With the power of the gods, I shall rule the world.” Lily’s face faltered. “What?” Kronos turned to his men. “When I have control of the girl, kill this miserable boy.” Annabeth realised too late what was about to happen. As all twelve Olympians, plus Hades, burst into the throne room, Kronos’s soul dissipated into gold smoke and spiralled straight towards Lily’s chest.
Lily had never known such unbearable pain. Not even when she held the sky for almost a year straight. When Kronos hit her, she was knocked back flying into a stone alter. Kronos spoke in her mind, but she could hear it broadcasted around the throne room. “Give in, young hero. I am your master. I bend all time and space. I am the father of all. Would you not listen to your grandfather? I will care for your body and mind like your father nor mother ever did.“ Lily could see Hades flinch at those words.”When I am restored to my former glory, I would not dispose of you like Luke. You could serve at my right hand, with immortal fame and glory. We shall destroy the father who never cared for you. All it would take is your loyalty.” Lily could feel Kronos‘s words radiating through her body, willing her to give up and surrender to the lord of time. “No.” She growled. The gods stared at her. Annabeth, Percy and Grover stared at her. Kronos’s guards, still holding Luke, looked shocked. “NO?!” Kronos’s voice boomed around the throne room, echoing through all of Olympus. “No.” Lily gasped, writhing in pain. “You want my loyalty? Tough. It resides with the gods. They blessed me. They chose me. All you know is destruction, Kronos. A hunt without honour or reason is merely unrestricted, uncontrollable anger.“ Lily saw Artemis nod proudly in the corner of her eye. “Olympus to preserve or raze. Those are the final lines of the prophecy. Well, I’ve made my choice Kronos. I made my choice from the moment I heard the prophecy. Olympus will be preserved. And you-you shall be razed.” At that last word, Lily let out a terrifying scream- a scream so loud, so deafening, so powerful, that Lily could see the golden steam shoot out of her a shatter into a billion pieces. Lily sat up, shaking, and gazed at the shellshocked gods in front of her. “Well, that’s the show, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you and goodnight!” Then she promptly keeled over and fainted. Lily found herself lying on the floor of Olympus several hours later, with Artemis and Apollo standing over her. ”what... What happened..?” She murmured, trying to sit up. “Shh, child. Rest. You have done Olympus a great favour. You shall no doubt be rewarded. Your friends are mourning.” Lily shot up straight, ignoring her spinning head and the urge to faint again. “Mourning? Mourning who?” Artemis and Apollo exchanged glances, as if wondering what they should tell the young demigod. “The one whom you call Luke Castellan, the former host of Kronos.” Annabeth told Luke’s demise had been short. The second he regained Consciousness, he’d screamed, grabbed Annabeths dagger, and plunged it into his heart. Soon, they were called to the throne room. Annabeth was declared an architect. Grover became a lord of the wild. Percy declined immortality. But Lily was terrified for her turn. She stepped forward, and her father approached the throne of Zeus. “My daughter. You have done Olympus a great service. The greatest service. Holding the wrath of Kronos would have taken loyalty, commitment, and true effort. Henceforth, Lord Zeus sees it fitting for you to continue your education in Scotland.“ Lily gasped. “We would also like to grant you a place in the official theatre academy of Olympus, as you seem to be excelling at this topic in Scotland, being part of their plays and performances. Lily ran forward. Before anyone could say anything, Lily had her arms wrapped tightly around the Lord of the Dead. “Thank you, father.” She whispered into the souls of his robes. “I... I love you too, my girl.” He said quietly, and the throne room erupted into cheers.

Hey everyone, i know this topic has kind of been exhausted, but i just finished there’s something wrong with aunt diane, and let me say, it was devastating and incredibly hard to watch. also, the photos of her body were not necessary, especially for that long, and were really upsetting and kind of disrespectful to the dead (?) she did kill 7 people, so idk. 1. just to get this out of the way—diane was clearly a closet alcoholic. was it to deal with her husband? the stresses of basically raising 3 kids? her routine getting thrown off? honestly i’m not sure, however, i do have a personal theory. 1A. Personally, i know a lot of people say that diane’s behavior was uncharacteristic for an alcoholic, but isn’t that EXACTLY what you would expect from an alcoholic who was thrown off their normal routine?? she and her husband worked opposite schedules, so it was probably a lot easier to hide her drinking. that weekend? not so much. idk if it was a hair of the dog thing, or if she was playing catch up, but i think we can all agree she was drinking to ease something. 2. the timeline is what really does throw me off. a 35 minute drive that took 4 hours?? there’s lots of holes between phone calls and where she was spotted. in my opinion, her smoking or taking an edible was likely at the mcdonald’s, hiding it in the OJ, for whatever reason. she also may have thrown up an edible on the side of the road, which could explain no stomach contents. i can speak from personal experience that edibles hit different than smoking, they would have found some sort of paraphernalia in the car, so she likely had it hit her like a fucking brick right before she went on the highly for that 2 mile stretch. all the other time holes, i’m not sure. maybe she tried to sober up, maybe went somewhere else, did she buy an edible? i have no idea. 3. whatever was said on that last phone call is key whether it was an accident or murder suicide. i don’t want to assume, and the brother she talked to last lost all three children, so im not going to say what was said or i think was said. it probably pissed her off to the extent that she drove so determined. maybe she had tunnel vision down the highway: “i need to get home so no one finds out. i will stay in the slow lane and go until i see this exit” and then boom doesn’t register a car. i also see a scenario where she throws the phone on the rail, jumps in the front seat, chugs the equivalent of 10 shots and then crashes. 10 un digested shots is significant. and the bottle being found in the passenger seat. she wasn’t hiding it well, or she was just pounding away as she drove. 4. her husbands a real piece of shit. i think she acted like a man-child and resented his wife more for leaving him the pieces to pick up rather than killing his child and nieces. i also think he knows more than he is saying. did he know diane drank? idk. but i do think he knew she wasn’t well to drive, and left her anyway so he didn’t have to deal with the kids. 5. does any one have sources on what people in her work circle said? i can’t find much, but i have a feeling they would be more in tune of her life because they are not in her close social net, so she can let her guard down. 6. i feel so much for those children. i also think they were not wearing car seats correct? diane fell out of the car, and the kids were in a pile? that could either be her negligence or purposeful. i’m not sure. whatever it was, i hope those children died quickly and didn’t know it was coming. i hope they rest in peace. 7. the accident photos broke my heart. seeing the man hanging out of the car. i can’t even imagine what they must have experienced. i wish well for bryan. he would be my age today, and i was always wonder if he went to college, or if we’ve ever crossed paths.
please pick this apart. i missed so many details, but im a little bit high right now and dumping my thoughts.
i dont hate diane. i think she had an illness and was in such a perfectionist mindset that asking for help was unfathomable. i understand. i had to black out and almost die before i got help for my ED. hiding it isn’t as hard as you guys thinks. i hope they all rest in peace, and i sincerely hope that diane did not mean the harm she caused. ❤️
wiki link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Taconic_State_Parkway_crash
another of her: https://allthatsinteresting.com/diane-schuler
here is, in my opinion, one of the best write-ups included.

I hate myself so much I always feel like i overwork myself but at the same time I feel like im the laziest person ever and don't deserve anything I have so much tests tomorrow and I haven't studied I know nothing for them and I feel like such a failure this is my only responsibility and I can't do it right I have 2 weeks left until exams and I already know I'm gonna fail but i cant get myself to work cause I'm doing so horrible with my mental health all I can think about is death. I failed my test? Why does it matter im gonna kill myself sooner or later anyway everyone hates me?? Ok so what I'm gonna kms anyway and im so tired of this mindset but I just can't fucking stop I feel like the only thing I deserve is to die I don't want to have a future and I don't even feel like I deserve to have one I think I'm a horrible person

In a time before time, a great dragon wandered the spirit world. Her scales were bright and golden like the sun, her eyes red as fire and on her back, she carried a wonderful garden, always green and bountiful. The great dragon Zakula allowed every soul who had lost themselves in dreamtime to rest here and find their way again.
Zakula was the greatest, the kindest of all dragons and she had two suitors in those days, Kadath and the Nameless One. The former, while loud and wild, had a good heart and honestly loved Zakula while the latter had impure intentions. So she chose Kadath.
This enraged the Nameless One. He shaped his jealousy into a host of terrible monsters and attacked Zakula on the eve of her wedding. Kadath came too late. He could only watch as the love of his immortal life was slain and her body taken away.
If the Nameless One could not have Zakula, he wanted nobody to have her. He took her body to his lair and dismembered the great goddess. From her flesh and bones, he fashioned the material world we live in today and from her thoughts, he fashioned all that breathes.
The Nameless One created disease, pain and death and set all his demons upon the world. A world created sick and then ordered on pain of eternal torment to be well again, so he could feed off the pain and fear of all Zakula’s denizens and become more powerful than all the other dragons.
But things did not turn out as the Nameless One hoped.
The tyrant had intended for the sky to be black at all times and made his creations afraid of darkness. But Avastaja, son of Kadath’s sister Kavijohka and her husband Vellamun, found a way into this corrupted world. He dug a cave and his wife Aiwana painted the walls, showing all the other spirits where to go.
So Avastaja’s siblings followed him. First of all, the lightbringer Lukilan, then Sojulan, Turikan, Lumika, Aurinka and Talika. They became the Star Dragons, the first lights in our world. As they pushed away the darkness, Zakula’s heart started beating again inside all the beings trapped here.
Soon, Kavijohka followed, taking her place as the moon. Then her husband Vellamun took the oceans away from the Nameless One and finally, Kadath burst into this world. His love for Zakula still burned so bright, her golden light engulfed him and he became the sun.
After a long battle created night and day, the Nameless One’s own spite came to haunt him. The pain and fear caused by all his misdeeds materialized into a terrible monster, a dragon with three heads, three tails and three pairs of wings. Its fire burned the skies themselves, its wings blew oceans ashore. But before this monster could destroy them all, the sons of Kadath’s brother Räkimarak captured the Nameless One and imprisoned him at the deepest point of their father’s realm, the underworld. The beast followed, but it could not reach the lowest pit and was itself soon trapped. Räkimarak named this monster Tathorak and swore to keep it and the Nameless One imprisoned for all time.
After this battle, the dragons looked upon the material world. The Nameless One had created nothing, he had merely twisted Zakula’s beauty. As they beheld disease and hunger for the first time, the dragons were horrified. They wanted to destroy this world, let Zakula rest.
But Aiwana and Avastaja knew the heart of Zakula was still beating underneath all of it. To show the others, they disguised themselves as the Nameless One and ordered the mortal woman Mahaseta to sacrifice one of her own beloved children. But Mahaseta refused. First she begged for the life of her children, then she offered her own life instead and when the disguised Avastaja would not budge, she spat him in the face and defied him to do deal whatever punishment he saw fit. Because nothing could be as bad as having to kill just one of your own children.
As she spoke these words, Mahaseta turned into the great white mammoth. The first guardian of the material world. Her children ascended too. Such as Retaro, the white tiger, guardian of Amaria.
Now the dragons realized finally, Zakula’s divine spark had survived in all that lives. But the light would need to be nurtured. So they named this material world of ours Zakula in honor of the great goddess and gave their all to nurture it.
Räkimarak took it upon himself to care for the souls of everyone who died in the material world and guide them to a safe rebirth. His wife Idaka took on the task of reuniting the souls of lovers in their next lives. She became the goddess of love and beauty, dwelling in the darkest of places where her light would shine the brightest.
Kadath however remained lonely in the sky for a long time, but he always kept his heart open. Eventually, Zakula's love for him was reborn in a new shape, a dragon named Inari. She married Kadath, but the terrible memory had left a scar on her soul. Mother nature, while caring, can also be cruel and unfair. The tyrant had created a world where some beings are cursed to live by killing others, where some animal parents have to kill the children of other animals to feed their own and Inari is the custodian of this world. She only cares about balance, not about pain or fairness.
So Kadath, the sun, took on his mantle as the god of justice to try his best and set things right. With his light he sees all, trying to ease the injustices of this world. He and Inari argue a lot, but love each other very much. Every year, the memories of how her past life ended come back to haunt Inari. She falls into a deep sleep and the land freezes with her nightmares manifesting as the darkness of winter. But whenever this happens, Kadath stays by her side and continues to light the world with his fire. No matter how hard it is with all his grief.

Hey Sportsfans — it's time for Week 7 of baseball Power Rankings: These baseball numbers have been forwarded directly from Manfred's office. They are accurate and caanot be questioned.
Every voter has their own style / system and the only voting instructions are these:

"To an extent determined individually, you must take into account how strong a team is right now and likely to be going forward. You must, to some degree, give weight to the events and games of the previous week."

TRANSPARENCY: This link will show you who voted each team where and has added neat statistics!
Please check this space shortly for a link to the Auxilliary Post for added details and stats!
If something is a little messed up, feel free to pester me let me know.
Total Votes: 30 of 30. Another Perfect Vote!.

#		Team	Δ	Comment	Record
1		Dodgers	0	The Dodgers started off a mediocre road trip by sweeping the Marlins in dominant fashion, followed by a sleepy series against the padres. My early season prediction of the Dodgers's infield defense being the biggest issue was completely wrong. Mookie looks natural at short, and Muncy has been playing pretty darn well at 3rd. We will be using our prayers this week to pray that Shohei is going to be okay	27-15
2		Phillies	+1	It's tough to end the week on a walkoff loss to the Marlins and feel good, but it's hard to complain about a 4-2 stretch. Nick Castellanos might finally not be the worst hitter in baseball after he says he started treating hitting like glorified batting practice again. Ranger Suarez has arguably been the best pitcher in baseball, pitching to a 1.5 ERA and an astounding 0.72 WHIP with team wins in each of his starts. Somehow this performance isn't even all that surprising for a guy with a 4.18 ERA last year. He was this dominant in a half season between the bullpen and rotation in 2021 and has a career 1.62 ERA in 7 postseason starts and 2 relief appearances. This week: another weird scheduling quirk as they play a 4 game set against the Mets with the first two at Citi Field and the next two in Philly before the Nats come to town for a 3 game series.	28-13
3		Orioles	-1	I was hoping the Orioles would go 5-1 this week but they went 4-2. Still nothing to be super upset about. I think the main concerns right now are Mullins is hitting under .200 and Santander still not hitting the way he can. Yesterdays game was just not great so hopefully it was just a one-off and can be flushed and they move on. Blue Jays and Mariners are in town this week so it doesn't get any easier.	26-13
4		Yankees	0	Our pitching is so good right now. Anyone in the rotation could pull a Glasnow and write their number on a ball for a cute girl, and she’d call. Doesn’t even have to have their name. She doesn’t care if its’s Nestor Cortes or Clarke Schmidt. Yankees starter? She’s calling, and she’s shaving her legs beforehand. If we signed Pete Davidson for some spot starts there'd be a second baby boom. By the way, my nickname for Clarke Schmidt used to be Farte Schidt. He has very much made me eat my aforementioned schidt this year, and officially has the second-best starter ERA behind Luis Gil, as we all predicted. In other news, Judge and Stanton both have their pop at once, Soto is doing what Soto does, and Verdugo is playing sneaky good right now. We also officially took the season series against Houston 6-1, which feels GREAT. If only they were a playoff team so we could finally bounce them this year. Oh well. A Yankees-A’s ALCS it is.	27-15
5		Braves	0	The walk off loss hurts, but can't be too upset with a 4-1 bounce back week! Big time perfromance from our SP. Giving up only 4 ERs in 23.2 IP (1.52 ERA) in these 5 games. Our bats are not what we have come to expect, but that can't last much longer. Signs of life from Acuña and Olson and continued performance by Ozuna. If by the end of May we don't see massive improvement to our offensive numbers, I will be surprised. Until then, buckle up because the offense is coming.	24-13
6		Twins	+3	Another great week, Sausage be praised! We took series from the Blue Jays and Mariners with both blowouts and well-pitched close games. I think it's safe to say that the team has found its groove, and this is how the Twins can be expected to perform moving forward. The only blip has been that the bullpen is having a slight slump, but that will even out shortly.	24-16
7		Brewers	0	Paul Who? The only starting pitcher debut I care about is BOBBY GAS who threw 6 innings of 2 hit, 0 run ball in a win against the Cardinals. He fills a much needed spot in the Brewers rotation, and likely would have been up sooner if not for an injury of his own. Rhys Hoskins also had a monster week, racking up 3 HR and 9 RBI in hist last 5 games. I had my doubts this young lineup and shaky rotation actually could be a contending ballclub over 162 games, but I'm not going to argue with the results.	24-16
8		Guardians	-2	Another bad week. The Guardians had rough series against the Tigers and the mighty World Champion favorite White Sox. This coming week, we play the reigning World Series champs and the hottest team in our division. I'm not worried. Not at all.	25-16
9		Cubs	-1	The Cubs went 3-3 this week in what felt like a complete microcosm of their season. While they did get Justin Steele, Cody Bellinger, and Seiya Suzuki back from injury, they lost Dansby Swanson and Yency Almonte, who had been a rare reliable bullpen arm. Christopher Morel also had a scare after tweaking his knee sliding into sexond, but fortunately is alright. Otherwise, the offense remained inconsistent, the starting pitching was outstanding, and the bullpen was abysmal at worst and heart-stopping at best. While he didn't continue his usual dominance against them, Ian Happ extended his streak of 62 consecutive games reaching base vs the Pirates. This week, the Cubs travel to Atlanta to take on the Braves before hosting the Pirates for 4 games.	24-17
10		Royals	+2	The Royals have a chance to be in first place by themselves this late in the season for the first time since 2016. It feels like a lifetime ago. Yes, it is just seven weeks into the season but hopes are usually gone by this point. Maybe this year can be different.	25-17
11		Mariners	0	Apologies for any typos, doing this from mobile is miserable. Not the best week, but given the pitching hiccups I can't complain too much. Woo is back (and hopefully staying back, him getting pulled was a bit of a scare.) The next few series are another gauntlet, and if the M's can make it through playing relatively well they'll be in a good positon to take advantage of their schedule for the end of the month and early June. Up next: 3 vs. Roy L's, 3 @ Oreo L's	22-19
12		Padres	+2	The San Diego Madres beat LA on both día de las Madres (friday) as well as Mother’s Day, wherein both we got great pitching performances from King and Darvish respectively. Arraez capped off the walk-off win on friday, and it was nice to see Bogaerts get one deep on Sunday. So far in ‘24 the Padres haven’t lost a series to the Dodgers, whether in LA, San Diego, or South Korea. It’s a bit cathartic, though I do wish there was less blue in the stands this weekend though. Really interested to see how they come out against the rocks, as SD was only able to split the 4-game series earlier in the season. This one lines up between the series’s vs LA and ATL, it could be a bit of a trap, hoping the Pads continue their series winning streak (which is now at 4) and just take care of business.	22-21
13		Rangers	-3	The baseball gods are unforgiving. Sacrfices have to be made and will continue to be made to the baseball gods. Oh dear baseball gods please forgive our hubris for thinking the baseball suffering was over. It was not but also, flags fly forever.	22-20
14		Red Sox	-1	The Sox have not been having a good May. Losing Casas has been brutal, and the expected bump in performance from Vaughn Grissom at 2nd hasn't happened (well, at least not yet). As a team we have a decent looking triple slash, but situationally they've been horrible. In high leverage PAs, the Sox are hitting .195/.264/.272 in 247 PAs. We have loads of talent, but there's always some issue whether it be defense or clutch hitting that holds us back from being truly competitive.	21-19
15		Tigers	0	The City Connects... phew phew phew. Looks like we got tire tracks laid on us after a truck ran us over. No thanks. I hate it... and that's not even mentioning the dumb hat. In terms of actual baseball, though, Tarik Skubal is still Skuballing. This week: 3 vs. MIA, 3 at ARI.	20-20
16		Rays	0	It was a .500 week for the Rays, and the good news is things are looking better, but only like maybe? Randy and Yandy seem to be coming back a bit; glancing at the lineup's batting avg in the game threads isn't painful anymore. Ben Rortvedt is over .300 in the catcher position which is unheard of for this team. The bad news is pitching is only bouncing back from abysmal to below average. A week against division opponents on the road will test if that improvement is here to stay or if it was just a new uniform bounce.	20-21
17		D-Backs	+3	The Diamondbacks have been winning more games of late but are still underperforming their Pythagorean record and are 3 games below .500 despite a +17 run differential. Reinforcements should be coming back from injury soon which should help.	19-22
18		Mets	-1	I prewrote a big and extremely negative blurb about the Mets getting swept by the Braves. That did not happen, Brandon Nimmo hit a walk off homer on Sunday Night Baseball immediately as I was about to close my computer. Never been so glad to be wrong. Bring on the Phillies and Marlins.	19-20
19		Nationals	0	Two large accomplishments for the Nats in the last week - 1) For the first time since 2021, the Nats climbed over .500 with an opening win over the Orioles in a 2-game series. 2) Patrick Corbin recorded a win this week vs the Red Sox (his first since 9/11/23 vs the Pirates). The Nationals quickly slid back under .500 losing the 2nd game vs the Orioles and then 2 of 3 against the Red Sox. James Wood is hitting everything in AAA (over 1.000 OPS) so there are lots of calls for HRCHU.	19-20
20		Blue Jays	+1	Very up and down week for the Cyrulean Winged Creatures of Ontario. A 1-1 split with Philly and a 1-2 tilt vs Minnesota extended a too-long stretch of not winning series. Turns out, the combination of bad offense and a bad bullpen is bad. But there have been some glimpses of hope, at least. Alek Manoah threw a gem on Sunday, giving up 0 ER and 1 BB over 7 IP with 6 Ks. Also, Vladdy is hot as shit right now; since the last week of March, he's been hitting over .400 with a nearly 1.000 OPS. Still, the Jays in general continue to underperform and hover just below .500. Mid-May is not the time to freak out and this team is in too deep to consider a full tear-down even in a lost year, but things will be getting worrisome if they can't pull out of this middling stretch that has defined the first quarter of the season.	18-22
21		Giants	+4	Believe it or not, the Giants had a winning week. They continue their flirtation with being a decent team. However, we would like the world to know about several issues	19-23
22		Athletics	0	Happy Mother's Day, say hi or I'll drop by. Rough week, our bullpen had some awful games esp w/ Kotsay's choices. Will possibly fall below the Astros this week as we play them along with the Royals, and unlike last year I don't think we're a better team than KC. Toro and Harris have been playing well with Soderstrom getting some reps in (A+ defense from them), but Gelof will likely return and change something there.	19-23
23		Reds	-5	What is the meaning of suffering? This question has stumped philosophers throughout the ages, but nobody has come up with an answer. On the opposite side of this, we have also been in search of evidence of the divine, and we’ve searched for it in things like the miracle of our world. But again, we haven’t found anything. What if we’re looking in the wrong place? What if suffering is the greatest proof of a divine presence? Suffering is an art. Perhaps the greatest art ever devised. Devised by who or what though? Some greater power looming over us all? Some great cosmic being who looks upon us the same way as we do ants? Some primordial consciousness created trillions of years ago in the Big Bang that’s been merely existing all this time and only gets enjoyment out of the suffering of others? How do we figure this out? Who do we ask? I have a suggestion, we can ask baseball fans. We are connoisseurs of suffering. Ask an A’s fan about the meaning of suffering and you’ll get your answer just by looking into their eyes. Ask a Rockies fan, or a White Sox fan, or even a long dead Expos fan. It’s weeks like this that make me ask why do people even like baseball. Why do I even like baseball? Well, I remember my grandfather, since I live in the midwest we always called him Papaw, and he was the biggest baseball nut I know. He got me into baseball at a young age, and I remember one day asking why he loved it so much. When I say he was a baseball nut, I mean he was a season ticket holder, bought all the merchandise, had books about baseball and biographies written by baseball players, he had all of it. He could tell you everything about the sport with ease. So I asked him why did he love baseball so much because at that time I found it boring, and you know I still to this day remember his response. He told me baseball is 3 hours of nothing happening, but when something did happen, it was the most beautiful sport god ever created. I loved that man. Anyway this is all a long way to say the Reds suck ass right now.	17-23
24		Astros	0	Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there, especially yours. I'll visit her later, don't worry. The Astros continue to take 1 step forward and 3 steps back. Kyle Tucker is the man and we should extend him immediately. Our pitching is still mostly trash and no one deserves an extension.	15-25
25		Pirates	-2	Paul Skenes made his highly-anticipated debut on Saturday, and it was one of two games the Pirates won last week. And they only won that game after first blowing a 6-1 lead thanks to 6 (SIX!) walks with the bases loaded. At one point. Kyle Nicolas threw 12 straight balls with the bases loaded. The bullpen was so depleted that Nicolas had to pitch the next day after Aroldis Chapman gave up 2 runs and 2 walks in the 10th inning, only for Nicolas to give up another run on a wild pitch. The Pirates then hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the inning and lost 5-4. So yeah, that's how things are going in Pittsburgh right now.	18-23
26		Cardinals	0	Bro, I'm straight up not having a good time.	16-24
27		Angels	0	Hot and then cold and then hot again, Jo Adell hit three homers this past week. With a wRC+ on the season now standing at 134 and a wOBA of .363, the next step for him is now maintaining a level of consistency. With a bottom-ranking farm system, his future may not ultimately be in Anaheim. The looming rebuild is going to be a long and slow process and at the age of 25, it is hard to see much point in keeping him if someone else starts looking his way.	15-26
28		Rockies	+2	We have the longest winning streak in baseball. We just swept the defending champs. I'm pretty sure that means Rocktober is coming. In all seriousness, the Rockies finally gelled for the first time this season. The Rangers didn't play poorly, the Rockies just played well. The concern now is what kind of "Coors Hangover" we'll see.	12-28
29		White Sox	0	The White Sox had a shockingly good week while clinching the season series against the Rays and winning 3 of 4 from the Guardians over the weekend. They have been playing objectively better baseball lately (which means that their 72 wRC+ season stat was at 84 last week, and their pitching has been middle of the league since the start of May). It's not much, but it's something. Myself, I'm excited to attend my first ball game of the year tonight. Of course, I'll be going to the Schaumburg Boomers home opener.	12-29
30		Marlins	-2	So the fish still cant produce runs but at least we got burger back. Luzardo looks much better in his return to the bigs but oof braxton garrett. Somehow miami managed to squeeze out a win this week against two top teams but well see how they do against the tigers and mets this upcoming season.	11-31

So my parent has suffered with poor mental health for a long time. Going to the hospital and getting baker acted is unfortunately an annual event in this household and they almost passed away this time around due to severe self neglect and a contraction of sepsis. They've been neglecting their hair for many years but this is as bad as I've ever seen it and they asked me several times if I wanted to cut it out but I was unsure and didn't.
Today they said they were done dealing with the pain their hair caused them and asked me to cut it and I did. I know that the hair was a cause of many headaches for them and I've been wanting to see it removed for awhile and I'm glad it happened but now their in a panic of believing they look hideous (they don't but won't let me trim these awkward back strands) and is sobing uncontrollably (which is fairly normal and happens multiple times a day but I want to try and cheer them up somehow to get their mind off the stress of loosing their hair). For context they've had their hair stylized way shorter than it is now and it looked really nice.
All advice appreciated. I thought about food/baking the something but my parent isn't a huge eater because the self neglect caused their teeth to rot down to the gums and it's painful. We're waiting on a medical grant so they can get the needed work done. But I'm not sure what else I can offer them to comfort them. We don't hug because that's not our thing and makes both parties deeply uncomfortable. I told them that I loved them and continued to affirm that they look so much better and that didn't do much. Any ideas on things I could maybe do to comfort them till I can get them to the salon to get the rest of the hair left styled?

Had my lower left extracted on Thursday. I had basically no pain on the Thursday or Friday, moderate pain on Saturday and then intense pain yesterday (Sunday) which only subsided with opioids. Today the pain is still bad and radiates to my ear.
Since my pain has got worse and not better — and there is a gaping hole (see photo) — it seems to me like this is 99% dry socket, right?
I’m so sad as I followed aftercare instructions so carefully and had one of the most experienced oral surgeons in the country.
Do I really have to see my dentist tomorrow (I’m nervous and have anxiety) or shall I put some gauze with clove oil on it myself?

So I still have some pain but it's relatively minor than what it was over the weekend. The dentist was not overly helpful as she just thought it was inflammation. The chiropractor was incredibly helpful though.
And as I suspected my jaw was out of alignment. The left side was completely jammed to the point that it was shocking that I could move my jaw. Meanwhile the right side ligament was pulling the left side of my jaw to the right. So lesson learned that I should see a chiropractor for these issues.
My primary care physician also prescribed me a stronger anti-inflammatory medication as Advil wasn't effective in treating my pain.
I have two more sessions this week with my chiropractor but it's only $15 per session with my Medicare Advantage plan which I'm really happy about.
Two things I will be doing in regards to the TMJ in addition to the chiropractor: Botox on May 22nd and getting in with a orthodontist who specializes in TMJ to get fitted for a specialized retainesplint which is on June 10th.
But I'm just so happy with my results from the chiropractor. I was in crippling pain from my jaw and I was worried that I would have to miss my youngest sister's college graduation due to the pain. Or have to attend but be a party pooper due to being in pain all the time.
Some of the Redditors in this subreddit wanted an update so I wanted to make sure that I give a proper update.

Half past seven on a Thursday evening. Almost through to the weekend. Not quite yet, though.
Time for a cheap dinner and a true crime YouTube video on the TV. Volume up loud. Feet up.
"This video is brought to you by---"
Skip 30 seconds.
The horrifying case of [REDACTED]. Oh, that's funny. He shares my name.
The narrator explains the intricacies of the case. The background of the victim. The lack of public knowledge about what happened. The unknown identity of the perpetrator. The terrible fate of their victim. Left for dead and never to speak again. It was fascinating and my theorising brain gets to work as it always did. Trying to explain the unexplained. To unmask a suspect only described in the most nebulous of ways.
Still, though, it tries.
How could an unassuming young man be the victim of such an evil-spirited crime and there be no leads?
I would soon find out.
TV off. Brain still whizzing with ideas. Time to turn that off, too. Friday is a big day at work, rest is important. Sleep eventually comes.
A knock awakens me. The red lights of the alarm clock on the nightstand read 4 AM.
Who the fuck is knocking at 4 AM?
I open the door. Nobody. Not a soul. A little pink coloured note lies on the bristled doormat.
"Welcome to the show.
Kisses."
I figure it was a dream. Or a nightmare. Slapping myself ought to wake me up.
Slap.
Slap.
Slap.
No luck. Now I'm confused and have red cheeks. The note is the same as the one described in the video from last night. The note that started it all. Was somebody playing a stupid prank on me? How would they even know what I had been watching last night?
Head is spinning now. Sleep won't come and the note mocks me from the pillow beside mine. The first sunlight of the day peeking through my blinds jars me. I notice another note slipped under the door. Part of me knows what it'll read. Another part tries to forget.
"Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock."
Heart sinks. The note is less pink and more red this time. I place it on top of the older one. They both sit.
Awaiting the next.
Work could wait. That thing today isn't important anymore. They'll understand when I show them the video.
The video.
I try to find it again. Type, search, scroll. Over and over. It hides from me. Out of sight, never out of mind. The name of the channel is beyond me too. I search outside of YouTube. My name, my town, my apartment building. Again, nothing. My existence remains as unremarkable as ever. But I know it shouldn't be.
Maybe the video was a warning?
I pace around the bedroom. Theorising. Planning a way out. The next note would be hand-delivered.
Maybe the video was a taunt?
Barricading the door could work. Good idea. The couch works perfectly. I push it along the linoleum floor and it sits just right underneath the handle. I'm safe. They can't get in.
The video had to be a taunt.
That's why I could never find it again.
They were playing with their food.
The clock ticks along. Tick. Tock. They'll be arriving soon. Sundown, supposedly.
The last ray of sunlight fizzles out.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Polite. Timely. No words. No response from me, either. I stand frozen. Hoping for some otherworldly intervention. It doesn't come.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
It grows louder. Then louder. Then louder.
The door handle rattles. The frame heaves. Over and over. It'll give way soon.
It does.
A tall man in a hood and glasses. Shadowy. Anonymous. A blood-red note clutched in his hands. He places it on the floor. Slides it across to me.
"I thank you for your viewership oh-so-kindly.
Kisses."
He lumbers over to me. Cleaver in hand. A blank portrait of a man. Time slows to a crawl. I try to run. To throw the nearest objects at him. No luck. He lumbers still. Slowly. Deliberate.
Tongue was the first to go. Tongue went agonisingly. Unhurriedly. Blood spewed all over. Screams lowered in volume until the tongue was all gone. Then nothing. Not for want of trying. Fingers went next. One by one until ten.
Consciousness went at the same time.
A ray of sunlight jolted me awake once again. Morning. Saturday. I lay in a drying pool of viscous crimson-red blood. Screams are still stifled. I shuffle towards the nightstand to grab the phone. I need help. The notes still lay there. Perfectly preserved. The most important one atop the others.
"911 what is your emergency?"
No words.
"If you can't talk right now, please use the keypad to answer my questions."
"Are you hurt? Please press 1 on your keypad for yes and press 2 for no."
Instinctual pressing leads to blood on the keypad from stubby "fingers". I use my knuckles instead.
"1".
"Do you need immediate assistance? Again, press 1 on your keypad for yes and press 2 for no."
It hurts. I switch knuckles.
"1".
"Thank you, we will send a unit as soon as possible. Please stay on the line."
Pain sears through my body. My now incomplete body. I wait.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Instinct screams at me. A mundane sound now takes on an intensely sinister energy.
I freeze, again.
This time, the right people break in.
I pass out, again.
A hospital room greets me the next time I awake. He did more damage than I thought. 13 weeks in a coma. Learning to walk again. To talk. To be something resembling normal.
Every day I find myself looking for that video.
Every day it remains out of sight.

Here's my current split , due to some of my disabilities I can't do anything involving a barbell or that involves alot of balance but that's about my limitations, I've been going to the gym for 7 months now and I wanted to start a split now I'm taking it more seriously to not only make my gym sessions more efficient but also to minimise any sort of injury/being too sore affecting my workouts. Here's what I have so far and any and all advice is very welcome !
Tues full body - 1.5 hrs -10 mins CrossFit -15 mins bike -Stretch First half hour done - single arm shoulder press 10 x 3 each - wide grip lat pull downs 10 x 4 - cabel bicep curls 10 x 3 - cabel tri extensions 10 x 3 Second half hour done - Adductors machine 10 x 4 - abductors machine 10 x 4 - leg extensions 10 x 4 - kettle bell deadlift 8 x 4 final half hour done
Fri upper body - 1.5 hrs -10 mins CrossFit -15 mins bike -Stretch First half hour done - single arm rows 10 x 2 each side X1 both together - single arm diverge lat pull downs 15 x 3 each - chest press 10 x 3 - single arm lat raises 10 x 3 each - single arm pec flys 10 x 2 each side X1 both Second half hour done - preacher curl machine 10 X 3 - tri extension machine 10 x 3 - single arm super set hammer curl to wide curl 10 each x 3 - tri extension dumbbell 15 x 3 Final half hour done
Sun lowecore - 1.5hrs - 10 mins CrossFit - 15 mins bike - stretch First half hour done - leg flutters 30 sec x3 - leg circles 30 sec x3 - side leg raises 30 sec x3 - crunches 30 sec x3 - heel taps 30 sec x3 - squat 10 x 3 (Do all X3 as a circuit) - plank as long as possible at end Second half hour done - abs machine - abducter machine 10 x 3 - adductor machine 10 x 3 - leg extension 10 x3 - leg press 10 x3 Final half hour done

As Haiti grapples with escalating violence and instability, the international community has stepped up efforts to restore order. The United Nations recently authorized the deployment of a Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to support the Haitian National Police in combating gang violence and securing vital infrastructure​ (UN News)​.

The Crisis Unfolds

The situation in Haiti has reached a critical point, marked by a dramatic increase in homicides and kidnappings. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that increasingly sophisticated firearms and ammunition are being trafficked into the country, exacerbating the violence​ (UN News)​. This influx of weapons is fueling the activities of armed gangs, leading to a surge in violence that has displaced over 200,000 people and left thousands dead​ (United Nations Press)​​ (Les Nations Unies en Haïti)​.

International Response

The MSS mission, hailed as a historic move, aims to restore stability by supporting Haitian law enforcement, securing critical infrastructure, and ensuring the safe delivery of humanitarian aid​ (UN News)​. The mission's authorization followed urgent calls from the Haitian government and civil society amid worsening conditions. The international force will also work to curb the flow of illicit arms and strengthen Haiti's border control and law enforcement capabilities​ (United Nations Press)​.

Root Causes and Broader Efforts

Beyond immediate security measures, tackling the root causes of the crisis is essential. Corruption and illicit financial flows are major enablers of violence in Haiti, undermining the country's justice system and governance​ (United Nations Press)​. Efforts to combat these issues include strengthening anti-corruption units, enhancing border management, and improving the capacity for forensic investigations.
The UNODC's comprehensive approach emphasizes the need for better intelligence-sharing, improved oversight of small aircraft flights, and increased support for community policing and criminal justice reform​ (UN News)​. These measures are crucial for reducing the influence of criminal gangs and restoring long-term stability.

A Beacon of Hope

Despite the challenges, the MSS mission represents a significant step towards peace and security in Haiti. By addressing both the symptoms and root causes of the crisis, the international community aims to create conditions for sustainable development and democratic governance​ (Les Nations Unies en Haïti)​. The deployment of the MSS mission, coupled with robust anti-corruption efforts and enhanced law enforcement capabilities, offers a glimmer of hope for the beleaguered people of Haiti.
As the world watches, the success of these efforts will depend on the continued commitment and cooperation of the international community in supporting Haiti through this tumultuous period.

Hi everyone, I just discovered this sub, lovely place so far.
I'm hoping for some help here, I've only submitted to 3 agents so far, and the last one hit back with a rejection so fast I felt winded after. I realized I really need to reach out to the wider community and start asking for help with this if I want a better chance in the future.
Thank you all for your time!
Thank
---
Dear Agent,
I’m currently seeking representation for RUBY BIRD, a 66,000 word whirlwind queer romantic drama which takes place as the first novel in my series THE FLIGHT.
His perfectly boring life is shattered in one irreparable swoop when fantasy erotica novelist Ruben Eberly discovers his wife has been seeing someone else, and believing her husband to be a closeted queer man, announces she’s done with their relationship for good. In an attempt to lick his wounds and piece his broken heart back together, Ruben finds himself falling into the arms of his long lost best friend, Paul McKenzie, a free-spirit who carries with him the burden of a terminal cancer diagnosis.
With the goal of enjoying his final days on a road trip from Florida to Texas before hopping a plane to Alaska to die in peace, Ruben invites himself along, and the two make a strong effort to reconnect, with unexpected feelings blossoming as the long journey becomes a series of trysts. Paul’s claim of a terminal diagnosis is far from the only situation on his plate however, as Ruben learns his best friend has fallen head first into a series of addictions that have strangled the beautiful artist into a shell of his former self.
With the reveal that Paul has lied about his numbered days and is in reality planning to end his own life once the pair reach their final destination, Ruben’s goal of celebrating the man’s life becomes a mission to help his best friend face his past childhood trauma, fight his inner demons, and save him from himself.
RUBY BIRD is the first in a planned series of three books that will handle identity, sexuality, addiction, mental health struggles, and trauma, all topics of which I have personal and researched experience with.
Previously, I have self-published two stories, one novella, FOREVER AND FOR ALWAYS, a lesbian romance taking place in a cult that forbids their attraction to one another, and HAIL SANTA, a coming-of-age YA novel about a young man struggling to separate the truth about the world from the lies he’s been told all his life.
While RUBY BIRD has previously been self-published, I retain all rights to my work.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
-Sullivan D. Cohen
-----
First 300 words:
The violent thrash of red and blue danced against white picket fences and pristine flat lawns in the suburban neighborhood I had once called home.
My father's calloused fingers patted my thin shoulder, his voice barely above a whisper as they wheeled her away in a lifeless black bag.
“I'm sorry, buddy,” was all he said, tears coating his throat, his strength failing him for the first time in my life.
I couldn't recall the moment before. My mind wrapped it up in a black cloth, shoved it in a locked box and hid it in a dark corner of my mind that I never dared to venture towards.
All I knew for sure was that she was gone.
Ten years after bringing me into the world, Marilyn Eberly left mine forever.
Chapter 1
An Ode To Norman
My wife clasped the white pages of the manuscript shut between her fingertips and looked at me with an eyebrow raised in utter disbelief.
“You can't actually be considering submitting this to her, Ruben.”
“She wants it.”
“Well I don't want to be the wife of the gay vampire erotica guy.”
“If it pays the bills then why do you care at all?”
“It's embarrassing, Ruben! Everyone is gonna think you're gay!”
It stung to hear, but she couldn't be right. Authors who craft tales of mobsters and organized crime aren't suddenly dubbed Al Capone. Sci-Fi novelists don't actually traverse time and space to weave their fantastical narratives. The men and women behind fictional espionage dramas aren't typically spies in disguise.
And a straight married man crafting a homoerotic fantasy isn't always a deeply closeted gay man.
Julie bit her lip and flipped forward a few pages.
“I just, I don't get why one of them can't be a woman. If your audience is women then one of them should be a woman, Fifty Shades, Twilight, Harlequin-”

So no one told me they would be injecting dye right into my shoulder joint. I have HUGE anxiety about needles. I've gotten okay with small injection needles (went through 2 rounds of IVF) and blood draws but this, I'm freaking out. Sobbing! My husband won't be able to come with me and I have no friends to come with me. Tell me I'm gonna be okay. Tell me it's gonna be worth the 11 years of pain. This is the first imagining I've had done on my shoulder. I've waited so long and now I am being the world's biggest baby.

This is an expansion of a recent post and also incorporates some ideas from this theory (by u/ndependent-Design17). Throughout the series the reader is repeatedly reminded that "only death can pay for life" — that magic, especially powerful magic, comes at great cost.

"Only death can pay for life, my lord. A great gift requires a great sacrifice.”

Davos, ASOS
This phrase or variations of this phrase are repeated by Melisandre, Mirri, etc. at various points throughout the series. That which follows is a highly speculative theory on the nature of the cost of magic in the series. Specifically, that souls are central to the exercise of magic and can be used as magic currency.

1. establishing the concept of the soul

Oh, to be sure, there is much we do not understand. The years pass in their hundreds and their thousands, and what does any man see of life but a few summers, a few winters? We look at mountains and call them eternal, and so they seem… but in the course of time, mountains rise and fall, rivers change their courses, stars fall from the sky, and great cities sink beneath the sea. Even gods die, we think. Everything changes.

Bran, AGOT
What happens after we die? Is there some part of us that lives on or do we simply cease to exist. These are fundamental questions that are essentially unanswerable in life but not in ASOIAF. The reader is given a point-of-view account of death in the prologue of ADWD. After unsuccessfully attempting to steal the body of Thistle, a wildling spearwife, Varamyr dies and briefly becomes a disembodied consciousness:

The white world turned and fell away. For a moment it was as if he were inside the weirwood, gazing out through carved red eyes as a dying man twitched feebly on the ground and a madwoman danced blind and bloody underneath the moon, weeping red tears and ripping at her clothes. Then both were gone and he was rising, melting, his spirit borne on some cold wind. He was in the snow and in the clouds, he was a sparrow, a squirrel, an oak. A horned owl flew silently between his trees, hunting a hare; Varamyr was inside the owl, inside the hare, inside the trees. Deep below the frozen ground, earthworms burrowed blindly in the dark, and he was them as well. I am the wood, and everything that’s in it, he thought, exulting.

Prologue, ADWD
Afterward his "spirit," or soul, is eventually transferred into a body of wolf and he begins his second life. This event, and the process of skin-changing more generally, appears to involve projection of a soul from one body into another. The process of transferring souls to either the animal vessels or the weirwoods is central to the magic of the Children of the Forest.

“Someone else was in the raven,” he told Lord Brynden, once he had returned to his own skin. “Some girl. I felt her.”

“A woman, of those who sing the song of earth,” his teacher said. “Long dead, yet a part of her remains, just as a part of you would remain in Summer if your boy’s flesh were to die upon the morrow. A shadow on the soul. She will not harm you.” “
Do all the birds have singers in them?”
“All,” Lord Brynden said.
Bran, ADWD
After death a "shadow on the soul" of the Singers remain in the crows. The soul of Orell is also described as living on in the body of his eagle after his death.
This process appears to take two forms: the soul can be temporarily projected from one body into another (e.g., as happens when Bran skin-changes into Hodor) or can be permanently transferred as is described in the separate examples above.
These transferred souls merge with their recipient, at least to some degree, and may decay over time:

"The wolf is part of you from that day on, and you’re part of him. Both of you will change.”
Other beasts were best left alone, the hunter had declared. Cats were vain and cruel, always ready to turn on you. Elk and deer were prey; wear their skins too long, and even the bravest man became a coward. Bears, boars, badgers, weasels … Haggon did not hold with such. “Some skins you never want to wear, boy. You won’t like what you’d become.” Birds were the worst, to hear him tell it. “Men were not meant to leave the earth. Spend too much time in the clouds and you never want to come back down again.
...
"They say you forget," Haggon had told him, a few weeks before his own death.

"When the man's flesh dies, his spirit lives on inside the beast, but every day his memory fades, and the beast becomes a little less a warg, a little more a wolf, until nothing of the man is left and only the beast remains."
Prologue, ADWD
Bran is provided with similar warnings about the danger of spending too much time in Summer's skin by Jojen.
The Bran that appears to Jon-Ghost in the vision in ACOK is also likely the lingering soul of a non-contemporaneous Bran, contained in the weirwoods and communicating from the future.

The weirwood had his brother’s face. Had his brother always had three eyes?

Not always, came the silent shout. Not before the crow.
He sniffed at the bark, smelled wolf and tree and boy, but behind that there were other scents, the rich brown smell of warm earth and the hard grey smell of stone and something else, something terrible. Death, he knew. He was smelling death. He cringed back, his hair bristling, and bared his fangs.
"Don’t be afraid, I like it in the dark. No one can see you, but you can see them. But first you have to open your eyes. See? Like this." And the tree reached down and touched him.
There is more information about this in the Time Traveling Bran series. Briefly, the version of Bran in this vision does not appear to be contemporaneous because likes the dark, is able to open Jon's third eye, and smells of death. (This is well outside of the scope of this theory however.)

2. shadow magic requires souls

As above the reader is repeatedly reminded throughout the series that "only death can pay for life." What is specifically being sacrificed, though? Is the magic being fueled by the blood of the sacrificed or by something else?
To answer this let us examine one of the most concrete example of magic in the series, the use or exchange of Stannis Baratheon's "life-fire" in order for Melisandre to manifest the shadows used to kill Renly Baratheon and Courtney Penrose.

Shadows only live when given birth by light, and the king's fires burn so low I dare not draw off any more to make another son. It might well kill him."
Melisandre moved closer.
"With another man, though... a man whose flames still burn hot and high... if you truly wish to serve your king's cause, come to my chamber one night. I could give you pleasure such as you have never known, and with your life-fire I could make..."

Davos, ASOS
According to this explanation, the cost of producing these shadow appears to have been part of his "life-fire," or soul. The shadow is also specifically described as having the shape Stannis. Whether this applies to other types of magic — specifically blood magic or fire magic — is less clear but shadow magic very much appears to require the use of souls.
The exchange of seed for soul is also directly referenced in the story of the Night's King.

A woman was his downfall; a woman glimpsed from atop the Wall, with skin as white as the moon and eyes like blue stars. Fearing nothing, he chased her and caught her and loved her, though her skin was cold as ice, and when he gave his seed to her he gave his soul as well*.*

Bran, ASOS
Stannis is described by Davos afterward as follows:

The look of him was a shock. He seemed ten years older than the man that Davos had left at Storm’s End when he set sail for the Blackwater and the battle that would be their undoing. The king’s close-cropped beard was spiderwebbed with grey hairs, and he had dropped two stone or more of weight. He had never been a fleshy man, but now the bones moved beneath his skin like spears, fighting to cut free. Even his crown seemed too large for his head. His eyes were blue pits lost in deep hollows, and the shape of a skull could be seen beneath his face.

Davos, ASOS
Asha later describes Stannis as appearing life a "man with one foot in the grave."

What little flesh he’d carried on his tall, spare frame at Deepwood Motte had melted away during the march. The shape of his skull could be seen under his skin, and his jaw was clenched so hard Asha feared his teeth might shatter.

Asha, ADWD
These descriptions seem appropriate for a character that has lost part of their "life-fire" or soul.
Throughout the series Stannis is forced to make a series of increasingly difficult decisions. The most significant of these decisions regards the fate of his nephew, Eric Storm. Melisandre repeatedly urges him to "give [her] the boy," presumably to be burned, but is rebuffed by Stannis.

“I know the cost! Last night, gazing into that hearth, I saw things in the flames as well. I saw a king, a crown of fire on his brows, burning … burning, Davos. His own crown consumed his flesh and turned him into ash. Do you think I need Melisandre to tell me what that means? Or you?” The king moved, so his shadow fell upon King’s Landing.

"…what is the life of one bastard boy against a kingdom?”
“Everything,” said Davos, softly.
Is the life of this bastard boy worth the lives of millions that would die if the Others break through the Wall? Making a deal with the devil and literally selling his soul in pursuit of some greater good seems very appropriate for his character, thematically.

3. blood and fire magic

As opposed to the creation of the shadows described above, we are also provided an example of blood magic in the leech burning ritual.

“Give me the boy, Your Grace. It is the surer way. The better way. Give me the boy and I shall wake the stone dragon.”
...
Melisandre bowed her head stiffly, and said, “As my king commands.” Reaching up her left sleeve with her right hand, she flung a handful of powder into the brazier. The coals roared. As pale flames writhed atop them, the red woman retrieved the silver dish and brought it to the king. Davos watched her lift the lid. Beneath were three large black leeches, fat with blood. The boy’s blood, Davos knew. A king’s blood. Stannis stretched forth a hand, and his fingers closed around one of the leeches.

“Say the name,” Melisandre commanded.
Davos, ASOS
Following this ritual all of the mentioned individuals do die but do so as the part of separate conspiracies (e.g., Robb Stark is betrayed by the Freys and Boltons, Joffrey Baratheon by Littlefinger and the Tyrells, etc.). It is left intentionally ambiguous by the author but it does not appear that the ritual was responsible.
The creation of the shadows required part of Stannis' soul. Could it be that the leech burning ritual was unsuccessful because blood alone is not sufficient as a sacrifice?
These forms of magic are frequently described, at least in the community, separately as "shadow magic" and "blood magic." These concepts — "fire and blood" and "flame and shadow" — are highly associated with one another in the series:

“Shadow?" Davos felt his flesh prickling. "A shadow is a thing of darkness."

Davos, ACOK
I speculate that these are different expressions of the same concept; that all of these fall under the general umbrella of fire magic and share common principles. Fire consumes.
After Alester Florent is sacrificed on Dragonstone Davos describes "the smell of burning flesh" on the wind:

Melisandre had given Alester Florent to her god on Dragonstone, to conjure up the wind that bore them north. Lord Florent had been strong and silent as the queen's men bound him to the post, as dignified as any half-naked man could hope to be, but as the flames licked up his legs he had begun to scream, and his screams had blown them all the way to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, if the red woman could be believed. Davos had misliked that wind. It had seemed to him to smell of burning flesh, and the sound of it was anguished as it played amongst the lines.

Davos, ADWD
Whether these forms of magic are actually interchangeable or not — whether they each require the consumption of souls — is difficult to prove based on the text. It appears likely given the association between these concepts that sacrifice that powered this "anguished wind" was that of a soul and not a body or blood.

4. dancing shadows

The tent was aglow with the light of braziers within. Through the blood-spattered sandsilk, she glimpsed shadows moving.
Mirri Maz Duur was dancing, and not alone.
...
No, Dany wanted to say, no, not that, you mustn’t, but when she opened her mouth, a long wail of pain escaped, and the sweat broke over her skin. What was wrong with them, couldn’t they see?
Inside the tent the shapes were dancing, circling the brazier and the bloody bath, dark against the sandsilk, and some did not look human. She glimpsed the shadow of a great wolf, and another like a man wreathed in flames.
“The Lamb Woman knows the secrets of the birthing bed,” Irri said. “She said so, I heard her.”
“Yes,” Doreah agreed, “I heard her too.”
No, she shouted, or perhaps she only thought it, for no whisper of sound escaped her lips. She was being carried. Her eyes opened to gaze up at a flat dead sky, black and bleak and starless. Please, no. The sound of Mirri Maz Duur’s voice grew louder, until it filled the world. The shapes! She screamed. The dancers!
Ser Jorah carried her inside the tent.

Daenerys, AGOT
The introduction of shadow magic in the series is provided above with Mirri Max Duur. Following this ritual Drogo is described essentially as a lifeless husk:

"He seems to like the warmth, Princess," Ser Jorah said. "His eyes follow the sun, though he does not see it. He can walk after a fashion. He will go where you lead him, but no farther. He will eat if you put food in his mouth, drink if you dribble water on his lips."

Daenerys, AGOT
It has previously been speculated that Mirri "reverse skin-changed" Drogo (e.g., "strength of the mount go into the rider, strength of the beast go into the man."). The description provided is less consistent with a horse soul inhabiting a human body than it is with the complete or near-complete absence of a soul. It appears more likely in retrospect that Mirri sacrificed part of Drogo's soul to summon the shadows, likely as a means to kill Daenerys' unborn child.

“The stallion who mounts the world will burn no cities now. His khalasar shall trample no nations into dust."

Daenerys, AGOT

5. reanimation

If "only death can pay for life" and souls are used as a form of magical currency how does one explain the reanimation or resurrection process?
There is a paucity of information on the reanimation of the dead in the series. The resurrection of Beric Dondarrion, for example, appears to be different in fundamental ways from that of the wights or Cold Hands. (We are potentially given a point-of-view account of this process if you accept that Victarion died in ADWD.)

“Thoros, how many times have you brought me back now?”
The red priest bowed his head. “It is R’hllor who brings you back, my lord. The Lord of Light. I am only his instrument.”
“How many times?” Lord Beric insisted.
“Six,” Thoros said reluctantly.
“And each time is harder. You have grown reckless, my lord. Is death so very sweet?”
Arya, ASOS

There is no immediately identifiable cost for the "kiss of life" and repeated resurrection of Beric. I speculate that Thoros is breathing part of his soul into Beric during this process ("each time is harder").
We are admittedly not given any direct textual evidence of this although Thoros is described as appearing very different after performing this ritual several times in a way that is not entirely dissimilar to the changes in Stannis’ appearance referenced above.

“Here’s the wizard, skinny squirrel. You’ll get your answers now.”
He pointed toward the fire, where Tom Sevenstrings stood talking to a tall thin man with oddments of old armor buckled on over his ratty pink robes. That can’t be Thoros of Myr. Arya remembered the red priest as fat, with a smooth face and a shiny bald head. This man had a droopy face and a full head of shaggy grey hair. Something
...
“Thoros of Myr. You used to shave your head.”

“To betoken a humble heart, but in truth my heart was vain. Besides, I lost my razor in the woods.” The priest slapped his belly. “I am less than I was, but more. A year in the wild will melt the flesh off a man. Would that I could find a tailor to take in my skin. I might look young again, and pretty maids would shower me with kisses.”
Arya, ASOS
Thoros attributes these changes to his renewed devotion to the Red God and spending "a year in the wild" although he is not exactly forthcoming with Arya about the resurrection process. It is also likely that he may not entirely understand what specifically is being exchanged here.
Thoros later describes Beric giving the "kiss of life" to the corpse of Catelyn Stark:

“The Freys slashed her throat from ear to ear. When we found her by the river she was three days dead. Harwin begged me to give her the kiss of life, but it had been too long. I would not do it, so Lord Beric put his lips to hers instead, and the flame of life passed from him to her. And… she rose. May the Lord of Light protect us. She rose.”

Brienne, AFFC
Notably, this process produces a reanimated Catelyn (a.k.a. Lady Stoneheart). The soul of Beric, or at least whatever is left of his soul at this point in the series, is consumed in order to resurrect Catelyn.

6. cold shadows (wild speculation)

The terms "white shadows," "pale shadows," and "cold shadows" are repeated used to describe the Others. The Others are also highly associated with ghosts — the spirits of souls of the dead bound to the earth. (The forrest is literally called the Haunted Forrest.)

The Others made no sound.

Will saw movement from the corner of his eye. Pale shapes gliding through the wood. He turned his head, glimpsed a white shadow in the darkness. Then it was gone. Branches stirred gently in the wind, scratching at one another with wooden fingers. Will opened his mouth to call down a warning, and the words seemed to freeze in his throat. Perhaps he was wrong. Perhaps it had only been a bird, a reflection on the snow, some trick of the moonlight. What had he seen, after all?
“Will, where are you?” Ser Waymar called up. “Can you see anything?” He was turning in a slow circle, suddenly wary, his sword in hand. He must have felt them, as Will felt them. There was nothing to see. “Answer me! Why is it so cold?” It was cold.
Shivering, Will clung more tightly to his perch. His face pressed hard against the trunk of the sentinel. He could feel the sweet, sticky sap on his cheek. A shadow emerged from the dark of the wood. It stood in front of Royce. Tall, it was, and gaunt and hard as old bones, with flesh pale as milk. Its armor seemed to change color as it moved; here it was white as new-fallen snow, there black as shadow, everywhere dappled with the deep grey-green of the trees. The patterns ran like moonlight on water with every step it took. Will heard the breath go out of Ser Waymar Royce in a long hiss. ...
The Other slid forward on silent feet. In its hand was a longsword like none that Will had ever seen. No human metal had gone into the forging of that blade. It was alive with moonlight, translucent, a shard of crystal so thin that it seemed almost to vanish when seen edge-on. There was a faint blue shimmer to the thing, a ghost-light that played around its edges, and somehow Will knew it was sharper than any razor.
Prologue, AGOT
This is again highly speculative but it seems reasonable to consider that these cold shadows are not "ice demons" but are in fact ghosts, the spirits or souls of men that are bound to the earth through magic by the Children of the Forest. (The textual evidence of the creation of the Others by the Children is linked in a separate post here.) Whereas fire consumes, ice preserves.
This would explain several unusual characteristics of the Others as described by Tormund

“Tormund,” Jon said, as they watched four old women pull a cartful of children toward the gate, “tell me of our foe. I would know all there is to know of the Others.”
The wildling rubbed his mouth. “Not here,” he mumbled, “not this side o’ your Wall.” The old man glanced uneasily toward the trees in their white mantles. “They’re never far, you know. They won’t come out by day, not when that old sun’s shining, but don’t think that means they went away. Shadows never go away. Might be you don’t see them, but they’re always clinging to your heels.”
...
Tormund turned back.
"You know nothing. You killed a dead man, aye, I heard. Mance killed a hundred. A man can fight the dead, but when their masters come, when the white mists rise up… how do you fight a mist, crow? Shadows with teeth … air so cold it hurts to breathe, like a knife inside your chest … you do not know, you cannot know … can your sword cut cold?"

Jon, ADWD
A reasonable interpretation of this is that the Others are present during the day, at least in some capacity, and are only able to assume corporeal form at night.
The Others are also described as "going lightly upon the snow" which is in keeping with their nature as spirits.

“The white walkers go lightly on the snow,” the ranger said. “You’ll find no prints to mark their passage.”

Samwell, ASOS

7. conclusions

This highly speculative theory that attempts to reconcile the several seemingly disparate concepts in the series related to magic, namely the actual nature of magical sacrifice ("only death can pay for life") and shadows or shadow magic. More specifically, I suggest that souls are the primary magical currency and can be consumed to summon shadows, create glamours, etc. I also speculate that similar processes took place during Mirri Maz Duur's shadow-binding ritual in AGOT and during the repeated resurrections of Berric Dondarrion in ASOS. I further suggest that the Others are ghosts, the spirits of souls of the dead bound to the earth.

I live in this perpetual state of self-hatred and disgust. A purgatory of pain. It appears there is no remedy nor motivation within me. I often get motivated by projects or ideas, for a moment it can get exciting, then, once I grasp the reason for this motivation, the underlying, unconscious truth, all motivation ceases to exist and I return to purgatory.
I cannot continue to wrestle with all I know, all I’ve experienced and all I am ashamed of. This pain is unbearable.
I reach out to loved ones, reach out to friends in order to alleviate the friction in my mind. Whilst hidden behind a veil of normalcy. I might appear happy, confident, articulate… perhaps even charismatic. All because I am behind the veil.
I am alone.
I am alone even in confessions of my pain. Because I have learnt that my pain is an eternal suffering shared by many. To communicate this pain is to breathe the virus of my suffering into another. Wrongly so.
Nothing will change the fact that I hate who I am.
People consider me happy, articulate, intelligent, funny, charismatic and confident.
All artificial attempts to display someone that isn’t dying. Someone who is okay. Why? Because I’ve learnt that my pain is an eternal suffering that has plagued many. To talk to a loved one and share my pain, is to breathe the virus of my suffering into another.
I often wonder whether nihilism is the cause. However I feel that it’s your circumstances that alter your perspective of nihilism. I believe if I hadn’t such a traumatising past or at least didn’t completely hate my disproportionate appearance then perhaps I too could laugh into the face of the abyss.
Money means nothing to me, neither status nor clout. The only thing that I would want to pursue is that. Something worth pursuit. But what I want, doesn’t seem to exist.
Currently been bulking for 5 months. Always lived in pain. Very traumatic past. PTSD induced BPD. No psychiatric support. The only thing comforting me is listening to soviet chanson and fantasising about my suicide. I have no intention on killing myself. But damn is the allure bright.
Today I walked out of my gym session for the first time ever.
Right now nihilism is winning. I think if my circumstances weren’t so unbearable then maybe I could laugh in the face of the void